Jhenaidah, 12th February : United Commercial Bank PLC has been implementing an agro-CSR project called ‘Bhoroshar Notun Janala’ as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR). In its continuation, a training program for agricultural entrepreneurs hailing from Jhenaidah district was organized today (February 12, 2024) at Green Valley Park Auditorium, Jhenaidah. Around 185 agricultural entrepreneurs from 6 upazilas of Jhenaidah district took part in this training.

At the opening ceremony, the chief guest ATM Tahmiduzzaman FCS, UCB’s Additional Managing Director and Company Secretary, said, “The contribution of agriculture sector to the GDP is about 14.23 percent. 40 percent of the total labor force is still dependent on agriculture. Agriculture is also the main source of food, nutrition and industrial raw materials. Agriculture is inextricably linked with poverty alleviation, employment and export.”

He added, “Different businesses, social and economic activities of the country are centered around agriculture. We want to play a role in the development of commercial agriculture. For this, we want to stand by the agricultural entrepreneurs. We are trying to help the farmers so that they can produce and sell their crops (as desired by them) by taking loans on easy terms. That’s why, we named our project ‘Bhoroshar Notun Janala’. Through this, we actually want to instill confidence in the minds of marginalized farmers. We are working towards that goal.”

Rezaul Karim Siddique, popular presenter of BTV’s (Bangladesh Television) agriculture-based show ‘Mati O Manush’ & an agricultural-sector analyst; UCB’s Deputy Managing Director Mohammad Shah Alam Bhuiyan; Deputy Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer Md. Faruk Ahammad, Branch Manager (Jhenaidah district) and Md. Moniruzzaman also delivered speeches at the training program.

On the previous day (11 February), skill development training was held for about 135 agricultural entrepreneurs from 4 upazilas of the district at Magura Royal Community Center. UCB Khulna region head Molla Masud Parvez; Arpara branch manager AKM Wahidul Islam and Magura branch manager Md. Arifuzzaman also spoke in the training session. The process of disbursing agricultural loans and providing incentive-based agricultural assistance on easy terms was discussed in the training session.

It is mentionable that training is being organized for about 16,000 agricultural entrepreneurs selected from 64 districts of the country under the initiative ‘Bhoroshar Notun Janala’. Already around 10,000 agricultural entrepreneurs have been trained in 41 districts. In these trainings, speakers shed light on the process of disbursing agricultural loans with easy terms and providing incentive-based agricultural assistance. Apart from this, the way forward for expanding the scope of financing (humane) under easy terms and conditions for the development of an advanced and prosperous agriculture sector were being discussed.